


rosemary

by undead_bunniez



Series: Will Graham Catboy Chronicles [2]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Caring Hannibal Lecter, Denial of Feelings, Dinner, Dogs, First Dates, Fluff, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Getting to Know Each Other, Hannibal Lecter Cooks, Hannibal Lecter is a Softie, Hannibal invites Will over for dinner, Introversion, M/M, Pre-Slash, Self-Reflection, Will Graham Has a Nice Day, Will Graham Loves Dogs, but Will doesn't realize it, he's pretty oblivious tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:01:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29915910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/undead_bunniez/pseuds/undead_bunniez
Summary: "The prospect of dinner for two with Hannibal Lecter was something he spent the whole week looking forward to with equal parts trepidation and longing. Come the evening of, he still didn’t quite know how to feel about that last part. Longing isn’t typically in Will’s wheelhouse."© undead_bunniez 2021
Relationships: Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Series: Will Graham Catboy Chronicles [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2199006
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	rosemary

Will invites himself into Doctor Lecter’s sprawling Baltimore home without knocking. The fact that he is allowed to do so is incredibly new, a product of last week’s late-night conversation over warm mugs. Hannibal had told him he was always welcome, day or night, and insisted he was being genuine, which makes something pleasant stir in Will’s chest whenever he thinks about it. 

There had been an unprecedented sense of warmth and connection between them that night, and Will genuinely doesn’t understand its origins. He hasn’t felt close to anyone in a long while, and it’s a bizarre feeling to _want_ to be around someone.

At first he had actively tried to avoid the polished enigma that is Hannibal Lecter, keeping his guard up a little bit extra in his presence. He is a top-rate psychiatrist and a great resource for the BAU to have, but Will had been wary of him nonetheless. A trained professional poking and prodding around in his head is not his idea of friendship.

His idea of friendship has four legs, a tail, and a habit of barking, and he’s already got seven such friends at home. His pack is enough for him - they are a predictable, loyal source of companionship. Yet he finds himself craving _Hannibal’s_ companionship and being offered it openly... and here he is, accepting it.

If anyone were to be able to confound Will in this way, he’s not at all surprised it would be Hannibal.

While consulting on a case for Jack the day after the party, Hannibal had invited Will over for dinner that coming Wednesday. Will tried not to seem so eager for more of the doctor’s company (and so soon), but he’s sure he failed to pull it off.

The prospect of dinner for two with Hannibal Lecter was something he spent the whole week looking forward to with equal parts trepidation and longing. Come the evening of, he still doesn’t quite know how to feel about that last part. Longing isn’t typically in Will’s wheelhouse.

Will stops to remove his shoes and coat in the foyer - as he learned at the dinner party that any guest of Hannibal’s should, unless they intend on being lambasted - and follows a heavenly aroma to the kitchen, where he finds his host working over the stove. A number of pans are set out on burners, Hannibal tending to them all with equal attention. Red wine is aerating in a carafe. Will knows that Hannibal knows he’s here, but no words are exchanged.

Will is overcome with delight seeing the other man in his element. He’s grinding black pepper into something reducing on the stove, and he can’t help but stop to watch him work for a moment, leaning against the frame of the arch. His nerves are quelled as he watches Hannibal operate like a machine. A content, relaxed machine, one that Will is pretty sure is _humming_. He hadn’t considered the possibility of Hannibal humming while he cooks... that bit of knowledge is oddly domestic, and Will tries to suppress a smile. It seems the doctor is human, after all.

When he eventually abandons his post lurking in the doorway and enters the kitchen, he opts to sit at a stool at the counter island. It has a good vantage point to continue watching Doctor Lecter work his culinary magic. He watches Hannibal's hands as he expertly whisks the mixture in the saucepan. It smells like rosemary and garlic, and he finds his mouth is watering at the scent.

Will clears his throat to properly announce his presence. “So, what’s for dinner?”

Hannibal turns to look at him with something akin to amusement, but doesn’t stop whisking. The sleeves of his dress shirt are rolled up neatly, and a few strands of his silvered bangs have fallen out of place. Will finds himself captivated by this slightly unkempt version of the man and tries his best not to stare at his forearms.

“You can ask, but I’ll never tell. It ruins the surprise, Will.” His voice is almost playful as he returns to his preparations, and Will is suddenly sure he noticed his staring.

Will is somewhat dissatisfied with his response, but not at all surprised. He didn’t expect an answer. He continues watching, eyes drifting back to the exposed skin of Hannibal’s arms. He’s never seen him in anything less than a tailored three-piece suit - even a dress shirt and slacks looks immodest in comparison.

When it’s ready, Hannibal serves their meal in the kitchen rather than in the formal dining room. Will supposes this deviation from the norm is meant for his benefit, given the discomfort he experienced as a guest in Hannibal’s dining room last time. Hannibal has shown a consistent interest in keeping Will’s anxiety level down as much as possible, and Will has to admit that he’s doing an excellent job of it.

Dinner ends up being three courses, noticeably abridged from the extravagant affair that was the dinner party. The entrée is a dish he can’t pronounce - something French, by the sound of it. It’s a beef dish, and it is absolutely delicious. Maybe he asks Doctor Lecter to repeat the name two or three times throughout dinner just to hear him say it, but that’s something for only Will to be privy to. The words roll off of Hannibal’s tongue with such easy finesse that listening to them is instantly relaxing. Lubricated by wine, conversation flows easily and the evening passes quickly into night.

/

Arriving home, Will is pleasantly buzzed. Hannibal had kept him a bit late for a weeknight, but he isn’t at all upset about it. In fact, he finds himself missing the other’s presence already, something he decides to process later or maybe not at all. Right now, Will needs to get inside, the dogs need tending to, and then Will needs to sleep.

When Will pushes the front door open, he is greeted by a flurry of wagging tails. “Hi everyone! Hi! Daddy’s home!” He walks through the furry crowd, patting heads and rubbing ears as he makes his way to the pantry where the kibble is kept. As he pours out bowls, he talks to them.

“Daddy might be making a new friend.” He looks right at Buster as he says this, and he tilts his little head, bringing a smile to Will’s face. “Whatcha think, buddy?” Buster doesn’t look thrilled, but Will could be wrong. His powers of empathy don’t break species barriers, as far as he’s aware.

“Aw, look more excited for me! Been a long time since daddy’s had a friend.” He pours a scoop into the last bowl then pauses, looking commandingly over the canine crowd. “Wait.” The dogs obey their master, patient and calm as he starts setting bowls on the floor. “A human friend, anyway,” he mumbles.

Will really hasn't had a friend in ages, probably since college (and his social circle was lacking even then). He has work associates, professional acquaintances. Beverly could almost be considered a friend if they ever saw each other outside of work, but Will doesn’t exactly have a social life beyond conversation over cadavers and profiling serial killers. He finds it’s easiest that way - no expectations, no disappointments. Besides, he’s perfectly content to be alone, with no real need for socialization beyond what he gets from teaching and consulting. Will enjoys the quiet of solitude.

As he fills the water bowls from the tap, he realizes that Hannibal ticks all of the boxes for “potential friend”.

He, too, has a thorough understanding of the inner machinations of the human mind, and he is much more difficult to read than most people. They are work associates, so they already have a number of potential conversation topics to tap into should Will prove himself socially inept. He has placid, amiable energy that makes him easy to be around. And like to admit it or not, Will finds the man fascinating, almost hypnotically so. Plus, he can cook.

Will realizes with a start that he’s been letting the tap run. He stops the water and turns to find his pack still waiting for the command. He gives it as he sets down the water bowls, and the dogs descend on their meal.

A change of clothes and a dog potty-break later, Will is wrapped tightly in the duvet drifting off into a dreamless, rosemary-scented sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> i have the plot for this series all mapped out: there should be ten installments. i'll be posting them as a series rather than a chaptered fic bc it just makes more sense to me that way, plus some of them will work as stand-alones and i'd like to designate that. (also! more warm-n-fuzzy-catboy-fluff is coming, i just needed to get some plot out first lol)
> 
> thank you for reading!  
> kudos and comments are greatly appreciated <3


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